1. Belbin Team Roles
Recently completed the Belbin test for fit within teams. The results proved close
across these three descriptors, but in this order: ­
1. ME = Monitor Evaluator
Sober, unemotional, prudent. Slow deciders who prefer to think things over;
usually with a high critical thinking ability. Monitor­evaluators have a capacity for
shrewd judgements that take all factors into account & seldom give bad advice.
Good at weighing up the pros & cons of options.
Strengths – judgement, discretion, hard­headedness
Allowable weaknesses – lack of inspiration or the ability to motivate others
2. PL = Plant
Individualistic, serious­minded, unorthodox. Innovators & inventors who are highly
creative. Usually they prefer to operate by themselves at some distance from
other members of the team, using their imagination & often working in an
unorthodox way. Used to generate new proposals & solve complex problems:
often needed in the initial stages of a project or when a project is failing to
progress.
Strengths – genius, imagination, intellect, knowledge
Allowable weaknesses – up in the clouds, inclined to disregard practical details or
protocol
3. CO = Co­ordinator
Calm, self­confident, controlled. Able to cause others to work to shared goals.
Quick to spot individual talents & to use them to pursue group objectives.
Co­ordinators are useful people to have in charge of a team with diverse skills &
personalities. Their leadership style is one of ‘consultation with control’; there is a
risk of clashing with shapers due to their contrasting management styles.
Strengths – ​welcome all potential contributors on their merits & without prejudice,
but without ever losing sight of the main objective
Allowable weaknesses – ​no pretentions as regards intellectual or creative ability